Chapter 92: The Royal Escort and Dungeon Expedition

A Gold-ranked adventurer receives far better treatment than a Silver-ranked one. And I was experiencing that firsthand.

“Just fill it out as it is.”

The receptionist, who had previously spoken to me informally, quickly changed his tone once he confirmed I was indeed a Gold-ranked swordsman.

Now, he was watching me closely and cautiously offering me a basket of snacks.

While filling out the basic personal information, I also checked the special instructions for this request.

Since the dungeon was under royal management, members of the royal family would be participating in the exploration.

Although the notice only mentioned maintaining basic etiquette, I had a feeling that much more would be required.

“Isn’t dungeon exploration usually dangerous?”

“Huh? Oh, of course, it’s dangerous.”

The receptionist nodded while wiping his forehead. Watching him closely, I pressed further.

“Is it really okay for royalty to accompany us to such a dangerous place?”

“Well, that’s…”

“Explain in more detail.”

Under pressure, the receptionist, sweating profusely, began to reveal the hidden information.

Apparently, the third prince, who had recently gained recognition for his swordsmanship, insisted on exploring the dungeon himself.

Although he was far from the line of succession, he was still royalty.

His stubbornness led to the sudden formation of a dungeon expedition, and to ensure his safety, the royal family issued this recruitment notice to hire Gold-ranked adventurers as escorts.

“Wouldn’t it make more sense to recruit bodyguards rather than explorers? Doesn’t this kingdom already have strong knights?”

“That was also due to the third prince’s insistence. He wanted a real adventure without royal guards…”

“So, instead of royal knights, they’re hiring external adventurers?”

“…It’s a secret the third prince himself doesn’t know.”

“Well, fine.”

It seemed like a hassle, but considering the pay, it was worth accepting. I nodded and signed the document.

Unfortunately, Nightmare couldn’t accompany me into the dungeon due to its narrow passages.

I stroked his mane gently as he lowered his head.

“I’ll be back soon, so behave yourself.”

Pffft!

Nightmare shook his head in protest.

His front and hind legs stomped the ground so hard that the entire stable trembled as if an earthquake had struck.

“Sorry, but there’s nothing I can do. The dungeon has too many tight spaces.”

Snort!

He had gone beyond pouting and was now outright angry.

With a huff, Nightmare kicked the stable door, leaving a massive dent in the solid iron.

His hoofprint was clearly embedded on the twisted metal.

“Ah…”

Pffft!

He stepped out and crouched in front of me, thumping his back with his tail, inviting me to ride.

I sighed deeply as I examined the damaged door.

We remained in a tense silence for a while.

Eventually, Nightmare peeked at me cautiously and, sensing my displeasure, slinked back to his original spot inside the stable.

He must have been afraid that I was angry.

“Good. Just stay calm like that.”

Pffft…

When I nodded in approval, Nightmare let out a mournful whinny, his large eyes blinking pitifully at me.

“I’ll play with you a lot when I return.”

I finally managed to calm him down with that promise.

Before leaving, I handed a pouch of coins to the trembling stable worker—compensation for Nightmare’s food and the damaged door.

“I brought extra, just in case.”

“Ah, thank you…”

After finishing up at the stable, I headed toward a massive mine located a bit further from the royal castle.

A well-maintained road for transporting carts stretched ahead.

At the mine’s entrance, bustling workers moved about, and beyond them stood a group of adventurers.

There were nine in total. As I scanned the group, I spotted a familiar figure.

A girl with pink hair that swayed softly in the wind, giving off a peculiar aura.

Surrounded by other adventurers, her small stature stood out even more.

It was Tera—she must be the second Gold-ranked swordsman for this mission.

“Oh?”

Just as I had spotted her, Tera also noticed me.

She turned her head, looking surprised, and waved slightly.

“Seris!”

I must have been the last to arrive. I jogged over to join the party.

“Seris, huh? Are you really the Gold-ranked swordsman, Seris?”

The question came from a man clad in full plate armor.

His short-cropped hair gave him a sharp, clean look.

He glanced at the documents in his hand before addressing me.

“Can you show me your rank badge?”

His voice carried an odd sense of refinement. I nodded and presented my golden badge.

“Confirmed. You’re officially part of the party.”

I looked up at him with curiosity.

His gaze subtly conveyed an air of superiority—like someone accustomed to viewing everything around him as beneath him.

“As you know, today we’ll be exploring the dungeon of an evil necromancer…”

Once he confirmed everyone’s presence, the man began the briefing.

He recited safety guidelines and listed essential supplies to bring into the dungeon.

Most of what he said could have been found in a standard adventurer’s manual.

Did he just memorize the whole book?

I stifled a laugh and shook my head. Meanwhile, Tera sidled up to me and whispered softly.

“Do you know who he is?”

“The third prince, right? It’s pretty obvious.”

“Yeah, that’s him. But he thinks he’s fooled everyone.”

When the briefing ended, the third prince patted his chest lightly and introduced himself.

“I am… Al… Alfonso.”

His introduction was followed by the other adventurers.

Of course, the name “Alfonso” was a pseudonym, but no one in the group pointed it out.

The party had ten members in total—two clerics, two rangers, and the rest were swordsmen.

“We’ll depart immediately. Any objections?”

No one raised a hand. Under Alfonso’s command, the party advanced into the mine.

Clang! Clang!

The sound of ongoing mining echoed through the air, mixing with the scent of sweat and dust.

The stale atmosphere naturally tightened the expressions of everyone present.

We continued along a narrow tunnel, descending a ladder that led to a deeper chasm.

Torches flickered along the path, illuminating the darkness.

After what felt like a long walk, Alfonso lifted a lantern to light the way, a faint smile forming on his lips.

“We’ve arrived!”

The place Alfonso pointed to was the entrance to a dungeon that somehow exuded an eerie aura.

Rusty chains hung loosely around the entrance, giving the impression that no one should enter.

While Alfonso was excited about discovering the dungeon entrance, I sensed faint signs of life nearby.

Two people were hiding behind a rock not far from us.

Just as I was about to place my hand on my sword, preparing for any unforeseen circumstances, Tera quietly approached and grabbed my hand.

“Tera?”

“Shh.”

She shook her head while looking in the direction where the faint presence came from.

Then, glancing at Alfonso, she whispered softly to me.

‘They’re the guards watching the dungeon entrance.’

‘So, there’s no need to act?’

‘Yeah.’

I nodded at her words. It seemed like she knew more than I did.

The dungeon exploration proceeded exactly by the adventurer’s guidebook.

Swordsmen holding shields stayed close to the rangers, protecting them as they moved forward, while the rangers examined the dungeon for traps.

Tera and I maintained a certain distance to guard Alfonso.

The rangers didn’t discover any particularly dangerous traps.

Without needing to pause for disarmament, our pace was naturally swift.

How long had we been walking? From the depths of the pitch-black darkness, faint noises began to pour out in waves.

[Kiiik!]

[Iik!]

“Monsters! Prepare for battle!”

At the faint cries echoing from the end of the corridor, Alfonso shouted as if in a panic.

Rather than sensing the monsters themselves, he was simply reacting to the sounds.

The moment every adventurer drew their swords, the monsters revealed themselves—small creatures with green skin. Goblins.

I tilted my head in confusion.

Given that this was supposed to be a dungeon of an evil dark sorcerer, I had expected skeletons to appear.

Yet, for some reason, goblins emerged instead.

The ten goblins were wiped out the moment they appeared.

A single silver-ranked swordsman could easily handle ten goblins alone.

Considering the party’s composition, the outcome was predictable.

Although the anticlimactic battle drained any tension, Alfonso was unaffected.

His voice brimmed with excitement as he checked on the party members.

“Anyone injured? Raise your hand immediately!”

No one was injured.

Once we finished reorganizing, Alfonso resumed leading the way.

After walking for what felt like another stretch of time, another disturbance arose from the darkness ahead.

[Grrr!]

[Woof, woof!]

This time, white-furred wolves emerged. I furrowed my brow as I watched them.

Could it be…?

“New monsters! Everyone, prepare for battle!”

Although there were only five wolves, the situation played out much like it had with the goblins.

Alfonso skinned the wolf he had slain, a faint smile on his lips and his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

At this point, even a fool could figure it out.

A dungeon with no dangerous traps, followed by the sudden appearance of goblins and wolves.

Given the natural habitats of these monsters, there was no way they should appear in this place.

“This is…”

It was obvious—the goblins and wolves had been planted here by the royal family without Alfonso’s knowledge.

Everything was staged. For one person’s sake.

I couldn’t hide my disappointment.

Letting out a long sigh, I leaned against the cold, black stone wall, watching Alfonso skin the wolf.

Just as I sighed and rested against the wall—

Clang!

A sudden noise rang out, accompanied by a surge of mana.

The floor beneath my feet vanished without warning.

“Ah…”

And when the floor disappears, there’s only one thing that can happen.

Without even a chance to scream, the entire party plummeted straight down.